


Mismatched

by agentsimmons



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Body Dysmorphic Disorder, Crack, Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified, Emotional Infidelity, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Crack, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, M/M, Out of Character, Teen Angst, Teen Romance, Teenage Drama, Teenagers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-13
Updated: 2016-08-13
Packaged: 2018-08-08 09:06:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,528
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7751593
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/agentsimmons/pseuds/agentsimmons
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Pepper helps her friend Natasha finally get together with her other friend Clint, she decides she likes the thrill of it and sets her eyes on her friend Bruce next. Unfortunately, things are about to get as needlessly complicated as a tween/teen comedy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mismatched

**Author's Note:**

> I want to preface this by saying this is basically as bad as a really bad DCOM script, in that there is crack and pair the spares and some OOCness going on. But that all said, I don't even care. Because I've been in a very low place recently and this has been therapeutic to just let go and write it however I felt like regardless of other people's (or even my own) critical analyses. _Emma_ the book and the movie with Paltrow are two of my favorite things in the world that makes me feel happy when I'm low so doing something semi-inspired by that and indulgently using Pepper is something that made me smile stupidly. And reminded me why I love to play with characters and words and worlds in the first place.
> 
> Although inspired by _Emma_ , the characters don't all directly correlate to characters in the book/movie. Like some of them fill different roles simultaneously as it helps the story go along and it's not a carbon copy plot. It doesn't focus so much on 'Emma' or her relationship with 'Knightly' as it does the supporting characters.

"Is there anything better than a happy match?" Pepper Potts' sigh rivals sunshine and bluebirds as she stares dreamily down the lunch table at her best girlfriend, Natasha, and Natasha's new boyfriend Clint. The new boyfriend she seems to think is owed to her meddling and not at all because Natasha and Clint had been best friends since kindergarten.

Phil is pretty sure his responding sigh rivals a cloudy day with a threat of rain. "No," he agrees tentatively.   

"I'm going to miss not having her all to myself anymore," Pepper says as she focuses on her lunch once more, gracefully tearing open the lid of her yogurt cup. "But it's worth it to see Natasha so happy." 

"Indubitably," Phil replies even if he's not sure there's anything truly indubitable about it. He shakes his head and takes another bite of the even less indubitable barbecue pork sandwich he'd gotten from the cafeteria. If it's pork, he doesn't want to know what part of the pig it comes from. It makes him consider converting to strict Judaism.  

Phil sees Pepper wave from the corner of his eye and looks to follow her line of sight. She's waving to Tony, Thor and Steve to let them know what table they've managed to snag today. Thor smiles brightly and holds up a hand back before scanning the cafeteria, no doubt in search for his girlfriend Jane – since she doesn't usually eat with them. Then he must spot her because he eagerly heads toward the other side of the cafeteria, dragging Steve along with him. If Thor wasn't dating Jane, and Phil being firmly against needless meddling, he'd maybe wonder if Pepper should work whatever magic she thinks she has to encourage something between those two.  

"You know," Pepper interrupts his thoughts, "I think next I need to find someone for Bruce." Phil nearly chokes on his questionable sandwich and takes a drink from his lukewarm carton of milk. He uses his napkin to wipe away any excess and sees her eyes fixed on Bruce in the cafeteria line. "He seems so lonely. And he's such a good guy. Somebody's bound to love him." 

"Doesn't seem too lonely to me," Phil comments obstinately in reference to the fact that Tony had found him in the line and has his arm draped around his shoulder as he fills up Bruce's tray with enough food for the both of them. Tony's loaded so he'll probably pay for all of it like he usually does and Bruce will probably protest and tell him he can't keep doing that the way he usually does and then they'll have a scowling contest (Bruce will scowl and Tony will mimic him) until Tony's lips twitch first causing Bruce's to twitch followed by a round of laughter. "You realize," Phil continues as he turns his gaze away from where Tony is doing something unnecessarily lewd with a banana while he and Bruce wait in line to pay, "some people are perfectly content with having only friends." 

Pepper turns to look at him with a cute frown. "I know what asexuality is," she says, seeming offended. Of course she should be if that's what he'd meant seeing as Natasha is asexual. 

"I didn't mean just that," Phil replies. "Not everybody wants to date or is ready to date. It's not that big of a deal. Maybe Bruce likes being single. You're single," he points out. 

"That's different," she says with a shrug and goes back to eating her yogurt. "I have a career trajectory and I've decided to make the sacrifice of my love life for my career." 

Phil gives a small laugh. "Pepper, you're a sophomore. I don't think dating now is going to screw up your career trajectory. And, besides, it's not the 1990s anymore. You _can_ have both if you want." 

She rolls her eyes and slowly removes her spoon from her mouth. Phil hopes his squirm wasn't noticeable. He's good at keeping his reactions and emotions schooled.  

"Tell that to the number of immature high school boys and college douchebags that can't handle not being a girl's center of attention even if they're not willing to make her theirs." The accusation flows from Pepper's tongue with deadly precision. How she manages to be so misguided one minute and insightful the next is beyond his comprehension.  

"I'd defend my sex, but you're not wrong," Phil relents. "It's not exclusive to my sex," he tacks on, maybe willed to do so by his ingrained male pride, "but you're not wrong." 

ooo

"Thank you for helping me," Thor says as he finishes up another math problem. "I've learned the hard way that Jane is a lot of things, but good at helping me with my homework is not one of them." 

Bruce gives him a small smile. "Don’t mention it," he says graciously. "Tutoring is what I do. And it's nicer to help a friend than the usual middle schoolers I get as clients," he adds, the smile becoming a little more rueful.  

Thor often feels sorry that Bruce has to do so much to support himself. But the recently emancipated teen doesn't let himself take charity from others, not even his aunt who he now lives with. The only exception to this rule seems to be Tony Stark. Tony spoils his friend every chance he gets and eventually Bruce must have gotten tired of having his protests ignored because now he doesn't do more than give Tony a shake of his head, a scowl, a 'one of these days I'm going to pay you back' or something else along those lines. But Thor thinks he's noted a sign here and there that it's all talk now. He thinks Bruce _likes_ that Tony has made himself the exception, and Tony definitely doesn't care about repayment. He thinks Tony just thinks Bruce deserves everything there is and then some.

"So other than her not being a good tutor, are you and Jane doing alright?" Bruce asks as he takes a look over the next problem that Thor had been having troubles with.  

"I think so," Thor answers, a little surprised by the question. "I'm still not sure she's convinced I didn't purposely ignore her over Christmas vacation." 

"Well, in her defense, you could have at least emailed her or used Steve's phone or something," Bruce reasons, looking up at him. 

"I know," Thor sighs, "but it didn't occur to me. And I was having such a good time… I…" 

"So she's not entirely wrong that you forgot about her?" Bruce asks as he flips through the text book with a skill Thor lacks. 

"Yes, but I do regret it. And she seems to have this notion that Steve—"  

"Bruce!" Thor is interrupted and he turns his head to see Pepper waving eagerly. She comes over, a dark-haired girl beside her that Thor has to admit he doesn't know by name. 

"Hi, Pepper," Bruce looks at her with a smile. "Hi, Betty," he says to the other girl. 

"Hi, Bruce," Betty says in a sweet tone. "Isn't this your day off from tutoring?" 

"He's being gracious to a friend," Thor fields that one. 

"Are you two almost done?" Pepper asks. "Because Betty and I were going to meet up with Phil and Tony at the mall for dinner and a movie. It wouldn't feel right if you didn't join us." 

"I guess I could," Bruce answers. He looks at Thor with a raised brow, but Thor doesn't answer right away. He's trying to figure out why all of a sudden this Betty was invited. He's not entirely stupid. Something seems to be up.  

"I told Steve I'd come by his place after I'm finished here," Thor finally answers. "I can ask him if he wants to join too." 

Pepper just nods her agreement and looks back at Bruce expectantly. "I guess you can tag along with us then," she says with a bright smile that definitely makes Thor all the more suspicious.  

"Okay," Bruce agrees and then pushes the open textbook back toward Thor to continue helping him as if nothing happened.  

"Isn't he just adorable?" Thor thinks he hears Pepper whisper to Betty and this Betty looks at Bruce with a giggling interest and an almost-longing in her eyes that's just short of a look he's only seen aimed at the boy once before. Thor's definitely going to suggest to Steve they meet the others because he wants to see how this might play out. 

ooo

"Okay, what are you up to?" Natasha corners her best friend in the shop they've stopped off at – since it's still a little early for dinner and the movie they want to watch and the idiots (read: boys) have stopped off at some teen dudebro store. "I know you and you are definitely up to something." Pepper glances toward the fitting rooms, where Betty Ross currently is. "So it does involve Betty."  

"Okay," Pepper concedes. "I'm trying to get Bruce a girlfriend. Or _at least_ a date for Winter Formal."  

Natasha tilts her head to one side and her eyebrows knit together. "I'm pretty sure that's a horrible idea." 

"Oh and _you're_ the love expert all of a sudden?" Pepper tilts her head forward. "You think love is for children."  

"The way we've been sold it, yes," Natasha stands by her conviction. "Romance and chemistry isn't enough if you're going to make an exclusive relationship last. The only reason I have any kind of feelings for Clint is because I've known him longer than anyone and I just sort of fell in love with him over time." 

"Bruce is friends with Betty," Pepper points out. "I didn't just pick her randomly, you know. They tutor together and he's known her since second grade." 

"You don't know Bruce like I do," Natasha continues to protest.  

Pepper snorts. " _Don't I_? Him and Tony are joined at the hip. No offense, but Bruce is the reason I even had to go looking for another friend at all."  

Pepper laughs at her own joke and Natasha quirks her lips even if she suspects it's at least a little true. She knows as well as anyone that the moment Bruce had shown up at their private school in seventh grade Tony had found someone he just couldn't stay away from. They were a strange pair at first and Natasha has to admit she'd worried Tony might eventually scare off or rile up the meeker boy with potentially dangerous simmering angst. But just because Pepper had been close to Tony before Bruce came along doesn't mean she knows Bruce.  

"Look, Pepper," Natasha continues her previous reasoning. "Four or five years ago, maybe Betty would make sense. But I happen to know for a fact Betty's dad would make his life miserable if he tried to date her. He doesn't even like them being friends." She shrugs. 

Pepper frowns. "So who would you suggest?" 

"Another boy," Natasha answers with another easy shrug. 

"Oh." Pepper tilts her head thoughtfully, a finger steepled against one cheek. "Oh, maybe… I hadn't thought of that."  

"Well, it's not like he advertises it since… you know, the issues he had before," she says with a thin line of her lips. Sometimes she thinks the reasons she gets along well with Bruce is because she'd had a terrible childhood too.  

"You know, I was going to suggest to Tony he give Steve a chance and ask him to the dance, but now that you mention it maybe Steve and Bruce makes more sense?" 

"Actually, not a single word of what you just said makes sense," Natasha says, incredulous. "Tony and Steve are good friends and I get the love/hate thing, but they'd probably try to strangle each other before the dance is even over. And not in the fun way," Natasha adds with a smirk. 

"TMI!" Pepper holds up a hand a quick hand. Then she narrows her eyes. "How are you the asexual one here?" she asks with a laugh. "But, no, you're right. It was just a suggestion since they'd be the only two left without anyone to go with, but I'm sure Tony will manage to find someone else." 

"He always does," Natasha agrees and spots Betty come out of the dressing room with a few pieces in hand. She and Pepper should probably feel bad that they weren't over there to give advice as she tried them on, but it's clear Betty's a little like the awkward outsider at the moment. "But you're still assuming Bruce and Steve makes sense and maybe it does a little," she wills herself to consider it for her friend's sake, "but wouldn't Phil be a little disappointed?" 

"What?" Pepper asks with a confused gasp, her eyes wide in alarm and mouth hung open. Before any response can be given, Betty is with them again so they cut the discussion short. But Pepper is still very obviously lost in deep, confused thought about Natasha's implication. 

ooo

"Yeah, the large curry and then the shawarma special for two. One mixed meat and the other vegetarian. And another vegetarian shawarma platter for one." 

Steve listens, a little bug eyed when he comes up behind Tony and Phil in line at one of the food joints in the mall. "Are you ordering for an army?" Steve asks in disbelief. "I thought only Thor had that appetite. How will you have room for popcorn and candy?" 

Tony holds up a finger. "On the counter, thanks," he says to the cashier. She gives him a strange look, but sets Tony's credit card down on the counter just the same. Tony then takes it and puts it back in his wallet before standing aside. If Bruce were here, or Pepper, Steve knows they would have just taken the card themselves and handed it to him. Steve doesn't always quite understand Tony's quirks or why some people enable him, but he keeps it to himself. "Now were you making fun of my best friend's appetite or did I hear the question wrong?" Tony asks with a raised brow. 

"Vegetarian. Right. Should have guessed some of it was for Bruce," Steve says with a nod.  

"Isn't it always?" Phil asks with a chuckle. "As much as Tony feeds him, you'd think he'd weigh a ton by now." 

"I can't figure out where he puts it," Steve agrees. 

Tony frowns. "That's not funny." He looks genuinely offended. "One, I don't _force_ feed him. Although that would be kinky so, you know, I've thought about it," he can't seem to help himself and adds. "He's not obligated to eat any of it if he doesn't want. The old man is drowning in money so it's not like it makes a difference to me if it gets thrown out. Two, it's not even any of your damn business what he eats or how much he eats or who pays for it, got it?" He stares them down aggressively, protectively too Steve thinks before he bristles. 

"What the hell is your problem, Stark?" Steve questions, reverting to his old tendency of calling the other boy by his last name like he used to do when they weren't even remotely friends – more like rivals. "Phil didn't say anything to warrant that kind of reaction." 

"Neither did Steve," Phil chimes in. 

"What's going on here?" Pepper interrupts in a cautious enough tone that suggests she's wary, but also that suggests she's going to put a stop to it if she has to. When Steve looks at her he sees her expression somehow matches.  

"Tony was trying to pick a fight with Steve again," Phil answers as he finishes paying for his order and Tony's eyes go wide and his mouth falls open. 

"The hell!? You two were the ones attacking Bruce." 

"That's not even remotely what we were doing," Phil counters.  

"Maybe not intentionally," Tony tries, "but it was still offensive." 

Pepper huffs. "Okay, okay. I'm sure everybody here is just overreacting. How about we just change the subject, hmm? What about the dance coming up on Friday? Have dates yet?" Steve pointedly ignores that subject change by ordering his food. "I've heard a rumor that maybe Phil is thinking of asking somebody in this line to the dance," she says in a coy tone.  

"You... you did?" Phil sounds uncertain. Steve furrows his brow. Maybe the rumor is true. It would be about time, he thinks. 

"No thanks," Tony says in a dismissive tone as he receives his order.  

"Not you, idiot," Pepper barks. Then her tone is sweet again, "I meant Steve." 

Naturally, Steve fumbles through the rest of his order as quickly as he can and then turns to look at Pepper in horror. Then Phil who seems to be studying Pepper very hard. Then Phil's eyes widen. 

"Oh no." He shakes his head. There's fond amusement belaying the action, albeit still tinged with incredulity and maybe a touch of vexation. "Oh no, don't tell me you want to add me to your list of victims. I don't need any help figuring out who to go to the dance with, Pepper. Neither does, Bruce, but it's not like you'll listen to me on that." 

"Wait, what's this about Bruce?" Tony asks. 

Phil sighs. "She suddenly has it in her head that she's a matchmaker. She's trying to set Bruce up with Betty Ross."  

"Betty Ro—What? They're just friends," Tony protests and looks back and forth between Phil and Pepper. Then he looks off in the distance, probably looking for his unsuspecting friend.  

"If you can convince her, be my guest," Phil replies. "But don't tell me you're just figuring this out. She's been trying to get them off to themselves as much as possible all evening."  

Tony doesn't respond, just hurries off with his food. Steve watches him go with a tilt of his head before looking back at Phil and Pepper. The two are looking at each other intently enough that Steve understands, but they don't.  

"Look, I don't want to go to the dance with Phil," Steve says as calmly as he can. "We're just pals." 

"The feeling is definitely mutual," Phil agrees glancing at him sidelong, not taking his gaze entirely off Pepper. 

"Oh," Pepper seems to break from her reverie with a smile, "that's good because personally I thought it seemed like an absurd rumor. Now, Steve," she looks at him as he grabs his order, "everyone seems to think Bruce and Betty doesn't make sense, and maybe they're right. But I was thinking… Maybe you should ask him to the dance. It could be fun." 

Phil groans and Steve just sighs and doesn't answer as he starts walking ahead to join the others.  

"Pepper, leave it alone," he hears Phil say behind him.  

ooo

It takes a little doing, but Betty manages to get time alone with Bruce after the movie. Before dinner she'd gotten quite a few small moments with him, but since dinner Tony Stark has always been right there.  

At first Betty had thought it was because he and Bruce were best friends; honestly, he was the best friend Bruce had always needed in his corner and Betty had always been grateful that Tony had pushed his way into Bruce's life when he'd joined them at the private school – even if it meant she and Bruce weren't as close as they'd been when they'd gone to the same elementary school. And it was really sweet at dinner when it seemed clear that Tony is trying to help Bruce with his body dysmorphia by encouraging him to eat as much – or even as little as – he wants with no pressure. Not enough people understood that. Her fatjer certainly hasn't. The one time she'd invited him over to dinner in the fifth grade had been the last because her dad had called him wasteful and ungrateful and asked him if he treated his aunt with the same disrespect. 

But it was _so_ sweet that a little red flag went up in Betty's head. She'd wondered if the gesture meant Tony cared for Bruce as more than a friend. Maybe Tony hanging around all of sudden was his way of saying back off. It's not like Betty hasn't thought about it before. Bruce always talks of Tony so much and so fondly that she's suspected that _at least_ **_he_** might have a crush on his friend – even if he's cautious to make it known that he's attracted to boys too.  

Then she'd decided she was probably being silly. Tony's never been shy. If he liked Bruce, he certainly would have made a move by now. Not to mention he has a reputation. So she's decided to pursue her own crush on Bruce which is why she's glad to be alone with him again. 

"Tonight has been fun," she says as she stands next to him by her car. "You've got a great group of friends." Bruce frowns and she regrets her words. 

"I'm sorry," he apologizes. "I—" 

"Bruce, I'm not mad at you for having friends," Betty says with a shake of her head. "I have different friends now too. Things change. It's normal. And it doesn't help that dad scared you off from ever being seen near me," she adds jokingly, but it's also sadly the truth. She probably wouldn't even consider going to the dance with him if not for the fact that her dad is out of town on military business right now.  

"I know," Bruce says, tone still apologetic. "But I still like hanging out with you." He shrugs. "You were my first real friend and you're smart and—" 

"Bruce Banner, I'm blushing," Betty sees her chance and takes it coyly. "Are you implying something?" 

Bruce's eyes widen. "Uh… I… That is… Um…"  

Betty bites back a small giggle at his flustered reaction even if she thinks it's more of a rejection than she'd like it to be. "Does that translate as 'absolutely not' or 'do you want to go to the dance with me' hmm?" She pushes a little further. 

"The dance?" Bruce echoes, his brow creasing.  

"Relax, Bruce." Betty backs off when it seems it's more than Bruce can handle He lets out a relieved chuckle and she sighs.

"I'm not saying going with you to the dance would be… uh… bad," Bruce blurts out suddenly and Betty wonders if that's his way of saying he just needs time to process it. "I mean, you're beautiful and amazing. And… And remember that time in second grade when I gave you my cookies?" She smiles in understanding. "Yeah, I was pretty in love with you." 

Betty sees Tony approaching just beyond Bruce's shoulder, but he stops abruptly and his face looks stricken. The red flag goes back up and is joined by a blaring alarm. She looks back at Bruce, debating if she wants to take her chances. If she _should_. 

"Was?" she repeats.  

He shrugs. "Like you said, things change. I've changed. I… I just… I've never thought about it," he admits. 

"I understand," Betty says, deciding to leave the ball in Bruce's court where it belongs. It's his choice and she won't play some game to win him. "Come here," she tells him and holds open her arms.  

He smiles and melts into the hug like he usually does and the selfish part of her wars with the unselfish part of her, one wanting to look at Tony Stark and tell him he can't take this from her that easily and the other hoping if it's inevitable that Tony is the one for Bruce that he holds him like the boy deserves and needs sometimes. She sees Tony pointedly look away and she hugs Bruce tighter.  

The selfish part of her says, "Maybe now you can think about it." 

ooo 

"You know," Clint says to Thor, Steve, and Tony as they look at different tie and bow-tie options for the dance that's only two days away (since they've all procrastinated for one reason or another), "I honestly wasn't worried about my first dance with Nat. She's always been low key, you know? I've always been the more sentimental one between us. But now she's acting like a totally different person. Why does my tie have to match her dress?" 

"Because it's a rule of fashion, obviously," Tony says as he holds up two completely obnoxious looking ties probably just for the hell of it, one red and gold and the other green and purple. "But ten to one it's Pepper's influence. Pretty sure she's got the whole female half of the student population in a tizzy over this damn dance." Clint thinks he sounds more bitter than amused which makes him furrow his brow slightly. "I don't know what's gotten into her all of a sudden." 

"Well, I don't know, but she is pretty persuasive," Steve says in a tentative tone as he scratches the back of his neck with one hand and with the other picks up a tie he's clearly not really examining. "She's been trying to talk me into asking Bruce to the dance. I… I'm starting to wonder if… well, if…" 

"If what?" Tony demands immediately. Steve looks up quickly and his expression is guilty and maybe even apologetic. It's not hard to guess why really.  

"You… _and_ ** _Bruce_**?" Thor queries and he sounds puzzled and maybe a touch disoriented.  

Steve looks away from Tony's conflicting expression – like Steve has personally declared war on him and he doesn't know if he's betrayed or angry or disbelieving or sad or just plain ready to kill him if he has to – and glances at Thor. He shrugs. 

"Yeah… I mean, it could be a friend-date, but you never know what might happen if you give someone a chance you hadn't considered before. I like Bruce. We get along really well. Maybe… Maybe I just haven't let myself consider it because… well, for a few reasons, I guess."  

Clint glances at Thor, wondering if the thick-skulled guy will ever take a hint. He obviously doesn't understand what Steve had meant, but it doesn't stop him from looking genuinely sideswiped by Steve's announcement. Of course it's still nothing compared to Tony, who's suddenly leaning across the display of ties and glaring daggers at Steve. 

"I swear, Rogers, if you unintentionally hurt him or lead him on because you don't have your own head on straight, you'll have me to deal with." Tony grabs both of the, in Clint's opinion ugly, ties he'd picked up earlier and leaves them in a cloud of residual pining and angst.  

"You know, I don't get him," Clint says once he's gone. Steve looks at him after a moment, although Thor seems still too lost in his own world. "If he's so threatened by the idea of somebody else asking Bruce to the dance, why doesn't he just man up and do it himself?"  

"Well, I maybe get that," Steve says after a minute or two, and a discreet glance at Thor. Then he sighs. "If you're friend doesn't feel the same, what's to stop it from getting weird once he knows how you feel? It's a lot to put on the line." 

"It is," Thor suddenly rejoins them, agreeing. He looks at Steve and Steve looks at him and Clint thinks maybe, just maybe, all of this starcrossed nonsense will work itself out. Or maybe they'll all crash and burn. It could go either way, really. 

ooo 

Tony glances toward his en suite, narrowing his eyes in confusion as he his sits on his bed simultaneously tying his tie and watching his television. "What's taking so long, Brucey? Pants go on one leg at a time, you know. Need help?" he teases and glances back at the television as he finishes his tie.  

"Ahaha," Bruce says dryly, drawing Tony's attention to the door.  

Tony scrambles to his feet, although ironically he feels like he's been dealt a blow hard enough to knock the wind out of him. He can't take his eyes off of his best friend as he stands there looking a little like he feels ridiculous, but he looks anything but. He's wearing dress pants and a dress shirt Tony had insisted he borrow (or take, because yeah he definitely has to keep it now) since Bruce had been worrying about getting a new formal suit when he'd realized he'd finally outgrown his old one. Tony had given him a purple dress shirt to match the purple in the tie he'd picked up the day before and Tony wracks his brain for another time in his friendship with Bruce that he'd worn purple, if he'd thought anything about it then, and draws a blank. Then again, his entire brain is stuttering and dumb at the moment because Bruce looks absolutely perfect in Tony's suit – and the realization that Bruce is in his clothes isn't helping right now – complete with crooked tie and creased brow like he's not sure why Tony is staring. How can he not know?

"I insist you keep that outfit," Tony says, breaking from his reverie and moving forward to straighten the askew tie. "It looks great on you." 

"Really?" Bruce asks, sounding uncertain and his eyes wandering here and there due to the close proximity no doubt. "Purple isn't too… ostentatious?" 

"I love it when you use big words," Tony says smoothly and can see the exact moment the flush begins to spread in Bruce's cheeks. "But so what if it is? Maybe it's good to strut every now and then. You look good," he reiterates, finishing with the tie. 

He takes a step back even if he'd rather close the rest of the space between them. Bruce takes half a step forward, more like a lean really, as if wanting to follow before suddenly turning away. It's occasional and maddening things like that which Tony wants desperately to read as mutual attraction or subtle encouragement, but his head tells him it's unintentional.  

"Honestly, I'm starting to wish this dance nonsense was over with already," Bruce says with a sigh, still turned away. 

"You and me both," Tony replies honestly. 

"When did I get so popular?" Bruce asks with a humorless chuckle. "First Betty. Then Steve. I can't even dance." 

Tony's stomach lurches. "So… Steve asked?" 

Bruce turns to look at him again. "Weird right? Totally took me off guard." 

Tony's heart sinks at the confirmation. He's ninety percent certain Steve doesn't even feel anything in the slightest for Bruce beyond a good friend, but Steve's practically the puppy dog All-American tall blonde and handsome stereotype that every old-fashioned romantic falls for and Bruce has a definite old-fashioned romantic streak to him hiding under all his angst and self-denial. And Steve would have to be insane if he forced himself to really purposely pay attention to Bruce and not fall in love with him regardless of what he doesn't feel now. 

"Bet it was awkward," Tony jokes half-heartedly. "So did you break our dear Varsity Captain's heart and say 'hell no'?"  

"I didn't break his heart," Bruce answers with a soft chortle. Tony doesn't know how to interpret that, or if he even wants to try, until Bruce elaborates, "He seemed relieved when I said no. Something tells me he's not really interested," Bruce adds with self-deprecating humor. "Even insisted it was the right thing for me to turn him down since Betty asked first." 

Tony barely has a chance to calm down before his stomach churns again. "Betty?"  

"Yeah, she asked. Well, implied I should consider going with her to the dance," Bruce answers and he starts wringing his hands and looking around the room, a nervous tick of his that Tony always wants to soothe away anyway he can. "I've considered it..." Tony's heart sinks again because this is infinitely worse than Steve. Bruce doesn't have history with Steve like he does Betty. And just a few nights before he'd distinctly heard _in love_ and _with you_ leave Bruce's mouth. 

"I thought you said you aren't interested in dating," Tony tries not to sound accusatory.

Also he puts it nicely. What Bruce had really said was he didn't trust himself in a relationship because he's probably just like his insane father. That had been followed by a long list of self-effacing character defaults that would make him no good in a relationship if anyone could even want him in the first place. Tony was already half in love with Bruce at that point and had wanted to confess right then and there that Bruce was wrong, but he'd held off – has kept holding off – because he could tell Bruce really felt those things and would probably become skiddish or cut off their friendship if Tony violated Bruce's feelings. 

"I know," Bruce says with a sigh. "Which is why I wish this whole damn mess was over with. But… maybe Steve's got it right in looking elsewhere," he says about the boy's obvious unrequited thing for Thor. "Maybe it's better than wanting something you can't have, wanting someone who doesn't want you back."  

Bruce looks so sad when he says it that for the first time it strikes Tony that maybe Bruce already has a crush on someone too and Tony doesn't know whether or not it hurts him because Bruce might think about someone every night while Tony's thinking about him or that Bruce hadn't even trusted him with his secret. 

Tony scoffs softly. "A world where somebody wouldn't want you?" He shrugs and looks at him intently. "Doesn't exist." 

Bruce's sad expression scrunches into something confused, hopeful, and then hurt before his shoulders deflate. "Yeah, well, until I can believe that, maybe it doesn't hurt to go with Betty. It's like Pepper was saying to me earlier." Tony physically feels his eyes darken and the room tunnel around him. "It doesn't hurt to go to a dance with just one friend any more than it hurts to go with a whole group. Might be a nice change and—"  

"Sorry to interrupt," Tony says, holding up a hand. Bruce looks at him strangely. "You… You mentioned Pepper and I just remembered something I forgot at her house." 

"Okay?" 

"I'm just… I'm just gonna run and get it real quick," he says and Bruce begins eyeing him suspiciously.  

"Tony, if you suddenly need to go 'talk to Pepper' I understand," Bruce says, incredulity lining his voice and emphasizing his air quotations.  

"No, no, you don't, trust me," Tony says, holding up his hands in a keep away motion as he backs towards the door. "I'll be right back. In the meantime, you want to make some popcorn or something else and then we can watch _Episode VII_ again? Or the _Deadpool_ cam?" He doesn't give Bruce a chance to respond or make an excuse before leaving his room and then hurrying out of his house.  

Tony wishes he had wings or a jet or _something_ that could get him down the long-ass complex of mansions to where Pepper's family lives, but he books it there just the same and not once running out of steam. When he gets there, he fakes a charming and patented Stark smile to be let in and makes his way to Pepper's room.  

He knocks on her door and says, "Pepper, it's Tony. We need to talk. Now." 

A moment later Pepper opens the door looking at him curiously, no doubt because his voice sounds wrecked, desperate, _angry_.  

"Tony, what's—"  

"What the hell have you done?" He seethes and as she steps back in surprise he pushes past her into the room. He sees Phil is there too, sitting with his laptop in the chaise Pepper has in her room. Tony ignores his inquisitive expression as he turns to face Pepper head on. "Why? Huh? _Why_?" 

"Why _what_?" Pepper demands. "You're raving like a lunatic, Tony. I can't understand you." 

"Why are you meddling with Bruce's love life? What are you trying to prove? You're going to get him hurt," he says, but what he means is, _how could you hurt me like that_? 

"Why? Because Bruce is an amazing guy who deserves to go to at least one dance with a person," Pepper answers. "I would have asked him if push came to shove," she says with a shrug, like it's some noble sacrifice. Tony glances at Phil and sees his expression is neutral as ever.  

"If push came to shove?" Tony asks with an incredulous bark of laughter. "As if it would? What, like if you exhausted the list of idiots who wouldn't? Although, neither Betty or Steve seemed too hard to persuade because, again, it would never come down to that with Bruce." 

"Tony, just because you can get a date with a snap of your fingers doesn't mean Bruce can," Pepper says, placing hands at her waist and shaking her head at him. "And I don't mean that in a bad way before you snap at me," she adds. "It's endearing. And why are you so upset anyhow? You're his best friend. You should be happy to see him go to the dance and not have to do the group thing."  

"Happy?" Tony repeats. "You really don't get it, do you?" She blinks a few times and looks genuinely curious as to his point. "In all your silly efforts to set Bruce up with someone did it ever _once_ fucking occur to you maybe you should ask _me_?"  

"What?" Her eyes widen. "You?"  

"You didn't think maybe _I'm_ someone who might be interested in taking the guy I can't keep away from for more than five minutes at a time without feeling an acute sense of loneliness? Huh!?" 

"Oh." Pepper brings one hand up to her mouth, her eyes blinking like they've finally been opened to what Tony had thought to be the most obvious thing in the world in spite of his reputation. Phil doesn't share her reaction since he's the one friend Tony has confided in about his feelings and hesitation to act on them, just lets his neutral expression turn down in empathy. "Oh no. Tony… I…"  

"Do I really seem that bad of a match for him?" he quizzes genuinely. "That I didn't even cross your mind?"

Bruce feels like his soul-mate if that kind of thing existed. The way he wants to spend every minute with Bruce doing anything and nothing because nobody will ever make his heart tick the way Bruce does feels like the most natural, meant-to-be cliché that's ever existed. But maybe that's not what others see.

"No, I didn't think—" Pepper tries, but he's too angry to let her finish.  

"Damn it, Pepper," he fumes and then runs a desperate hand through his hair. "You've got him thinking about taking Betty to the dance and… Now I'm going to have to watch him with her the whole night. Maybe longer. Why couldn't you leave him alone?" 

Pepper becomes suddenly obstinate, but there's a small quiver to her lip that he sees before she can stiffen it again. "You can't only blame this on me. You've had _how many_ dances you could have asked him to? So why haven't you? I know this may come as a shock to your ego, Tony, but you're not the only person who could make him happy. Especially if you're going to play coward and never tell him how you feel," she snaps. "Maybe he deserves better!" 

Tony's eyes widen and he feels actually stricken by her blow. He knows he's probably no good for Bruce. He knows that everybody probably thinks it. He knows Bruce would probably know better or just not be interested in him that way. Maybe that _is_ part of the reason he holds back, not just Bruce's fear of relationships. 

"You're right," he says and she seems surprised by his reaction. "It's nobody's fault, but mine. And, hey, you're probably doing him a favor. I could never make him happy."  

With that he leaves her and Phil to return to his own house where hopefully the boy who never fails to make _him_ happy even when he makes him sad, frustrated, even angry sometimes is still waiting for him for a night of snacks and movies and none-the-wiser friendship.  

Just outside of Pepper's room he thinks he hears Phil chastise her with a, "Badly done, Pepper." 

ooo

Bruce looks around at all of his fellow students as they crowd in the generous gymnasium dimmed, blue and white lights coloring the space and similarly colored streamers and banners decorating it. A loud dance mix of some pop song he's not familiar with thumps from the speakers and there are several students dancing as enthusiastically as they can under Principal Fury's watchful eye. The rest are mingling and taking pictures around the edges and in other designated areas. Bruce strains his eyes in a constant search for the one person who should already be there, but isn't. He feels like he perpetually lives in a state of trying to catch sight of Tony. Natasha had once teased him that he was practically a sunflower.  

His eyes find Betty instead. In spite of an awkward conversation before school that morning, he smiles thinly. She looks at least happy as she dances with her own clique and he knows she'd managed to find another date last minute.  

"I'd say _we_ could try dancing," Steve interrupts his thoughts and Bruce turns his gaze to look at the friend he'd ended up coming with after all, "but I'd just step on your feet." He says it with a half-amused, half-sheepish shrug. 

"Not if I'm the one stepping on yours first," Bruce replies with a rusty chuckle.  

"Before I moved here, my friend Peggy used to say she'd teach me to dance someday," Steve volunteers in a thoughtful tone. His eyes seem a little distant. "You know, I'd always sort of counted on it. Always thought she'd be my first dance." 

Bruce glances back in Betty's direction. "Yeah," he says with a sigh. "I thought the same about Betty. But I guess life changes. We've changed, haven't we?" He knows that all too well and even if his life has been changing for the better in spite of everything there are still days it's hard to rationalize. And one of the main reasons why he's changed, life has gotten better, still isn't there. 

"Yeah," Steve agrees. Then he sighs and it's followed by a chuckle. "And we make a pathetic pair, don't we?" 

"Probably because we're both here with the wrong person," Bruce says with a heavy sigh and rueful smile, his eyes scanning the gym yet again.  

"You're looking for Tony aren't you?" Steve asks in a knowing tone.  

Bruce feels his cheeks heat, but he gives a nod then shakes his head slightly. "Hopeless, right?"  

Steve's brow creases and he opens his mouth as if to respond, but they're interrupted. "And who should you be here with, Steve?"  

They turn to see Thor looking hopeful and somber and only at Steve. Bruce smiles and looks at Steve to see his stunned expression.  

"Doesn't matter," Steve says after a moment and hitches a shoulder. "He's got a girlfriend." 

"Oh," Thor says with a nod. "Sorry to hear that," he says and Bruce thinks he sounds earnest. Like maybe he _doesn't_ get that Steve had actually meant him. "Well, I'm single," he then announces. "So maybe if Bruce doesn't mind you and I… that is… We could dance?" 

"You're single?" Steve asks with wide eyes. "But what about… I don't—" He narrows his eyes. "Dance as just friends?" 

Thor frowns. "If that's what you want." 

Steve fakes a considering look before grinning mischievously. "I don't." Thor's own, indescribable really, smile follows in turn.  

Steve glances at Bruce then as if asking if he'd be mad. How could he be? So he shoos them off and watches his friends find a spot near where Clint and Natasha already are, Clint giving them both a thumbs up, smiling at Steve getting his shot with Thor. 

"Sorry you're not having the fun night I promised," Pepper interrupts his thoughts.  

He smiles at her. "It's fine. I'm happy for them." 

She nods. "I feel like I've been pretty clueless," she then says after a moment. "I was trying to play cupid with my friends' hearts, your heart, and I didn't even know my own." Bruce scrunches his face at her rueful sounding confession. "I didn't realize Steve liked Thor. I didn't realize you..." She lets her sentence trail. "You do, don't you?" 

"I think the question is how can I not?"  

"I'm sorry for trying to pressure you into something you don't want." 

Bruce smiles at her. "It's fine, honestly. It's not that big of a deal. You were trying to help me. But I guess I can't be helped." 

"Maybe that's not a bad thing," Pepper says whimsically. "But you should still be dancing no matter how you feel," she then shifts course. "Would you like to?"  

Bruce considers it. "Well, if you don't mind how bad I am," he says just as the music slows – _of course_ – and shrugs. 

"Tony's always saying you're a genius. I think you'll figure it out."  

"That's sweet, Pepper," Tony's voice interjects and Bruce feels his heart begin to flutter as he sees Tony standing there, looking amazing in his suit – somehow even more amazing than the evening before. "But take it from someone who didn't get that chance, I think he should probably share his first dance with someone who adores him." 

Bruce's heart stops fluttering and starts to beat so wildly he can feel it in his throat. "That's... a nice sentiment. Doesn't take into consideration _my_ feelings of adoration, but..." He says dryly, doing everything he can to keep his voice even and not mess this up by being awkward just in case what he thinks is happening here is _actually_ happening here. 

"Then it's your call," Tony says and Bruce gets the feeling Tony's trying not mess this up either. He holds out a hand. "Dance with me?" 

Bruce smiles thinly then borrows Steve's query to Thor, asking tentatively, "As just friends?" 

His humor probably would have been lost on anyone else, but Tony smiles brightly – almost sharply which is somehow comforting – and shakes his head. "Hell no, Bruce. I want to dance with the boy I adore." 

"Good," Bruce says and licks his dry lips, wringing his hands because he can't help it – he's nervous even if in a good way. "That's good." He ducks his head and smiles. "Because I want to dance with the boy I adore too." 

Tony stops his fretting hands and Bruce looks back up to meet his eyes, set intensely on him in a way that makes Bruce feel all the emotions he'd sworn he would never be able to feel again before meeting Tony. Then Tony starts to walk backwards, pulling him onto the dance floor and it's easier than he'd imagined it would be. It hardly qualifies as real dancing anyways, but it doesn't matter as he gets lost in the close bodied swaying with him.  

"Sorry it took me until Pepper's antics to finally take a chance and tell you. I just thought you weren't interested... in me or anyone else," he tells him and Bruce finds it an easy-to-forgive and rational assumption.  

"Sorry I never said anything either," he says. "You know I usually depend on you to strut enough for the both of us."  

"Meet in the middle?" Tony asks after a moment and studies his face, eyes darting downward so quickly that Bruce almost misses it. But he couldn't have missed the meaning in his words for all the world. Not this time. 

"Meet in the middle," he agrees and closes his eyes and leans in as Tony does likewise.

Maybe a first kiss while sharing a first dance at a high school dance is cliché, but Bruce is pretty okay with it.  

ooo

As she watches her friends on the dance floor Pepper is happy that everything made itself right in the end. She's especially happy that she hadn't messed things up between Tony and Bruce. Their worlds had revolved around each other from the moment they met. She can't believe she'd not realized how right they would be for each other as something infinitely more dear than friends. 

"You texted Tony to tell him Bruce didn't come with Betty." Phil startles her enough that she jumps and when she looks at him he's smiling at her. She doesn't know why that smile makes her feel good and safe and happy, but it does. It always has.  

"You sound certain," she counters.  

"Of course. He texted me asking if it was true or if you were just trying to get him here. I confirmed it. And I may have added that he came with Steve instead so he'd better make his move before Bruce realizes just how amazing Steve is. That seemed to light a fire under him." 

"You encouraged his jealousy?" Pepper gasps and then looks at him archly. "Badly done, Phil." 

Phil frowns and looks down. "I'm sorry about that Pepper. I was the one out of line." She blinks in surprise. "I've just known for a long time about Tony's feelings. I knew how wrong you were about his sincerity. And... I didn't like hearing you be so mean. You're..." He sighs and looks up at her. "You've always been amazing and fierce and you know how to hold your own. But I was afraid you were changing. Or maybe that I'd misjudged. That maybe underneath that you're actually mean and pretentious. I thought maybe you weren't the person I..." His sentence trails uncertainly.

"Fell in love with?" Pepper finishes hopefully.  

"Well, we're still in high school," Phil says with a hitch of his shoulder. "Maybe we shouldn't be so reckless and call it that, but-" 

"Oh, Phil," Pepper says, shaking her head at his realistic streak. But she knows he's mostly teasing because underneath that he's an optimist who wants to believe the best. He's very old-fashioned and nostalgic at times. The idea of high school sweethearts is exactly the kind of thing he believes in and he can see it in his twinkling eyes. "Maybe that's precisely why we should be reckless." 

"In that case," Phil says, his warm smile returning, "who were you planning on dancing with tonight?" 

Pepper smiles coyly. "You, if you'll ask me."  

Of course she doesn't wait for any silly formality, rather turns toward the dance floor and waits for him to catch up. Pepper thinks she spies a look of _finally_ pass across all of her friends' faces. But it flies from her mind once she's dancing with Phil.

Nothing else matters now that everyone's no longer mismatched.

**Author's Note:**

> 1\. I realize Pepper is usually the one in fics who realizes it almost immediately that Tony is in love with Bruce. Since Emma is clueless, I flipped her usual trope to make Pepper clueless too. Hence the OOCness.  
> 2\. I'm not sure if Thor/Steve is very popular, but this fic's line up of pairings is basically getting back to my post first film roots. I'd already shipped Bruce/Tony. And Phil/Pepper on a more lowkey scale due to that deleted scene from Iron Man 2 where their eyes meet at congress and it's just cute and really solidifies their connection in the first film _and come on_. I liked EMH Clintasha, but the move sold me on it hardcore (only for the nice things to be taken away). And maybe I'm pair the spares trash (I'm really not though; I detest it), I actually fell in love with the idea of Thor/Steve as the oddball pairing option thanks to their teeny tiny "gettin' sleepy?" moment that was fueled more likely due to my indecent love for Chris/Chris (and you can imagine I squealed over Steve's 'cameo' in The Dark World... not as much as Bruce in IM3, but you know).  
>  3\. That said I still felt bad for my gals Jane and Betty. They need to go bond and do science and stuff together.  
> 4\. Anytime I discuss the quirks of being asexual in a fic it's based solely on my own and not meant to be a blanket representation!  
> 5\. I gave Bruce implied BDD and an implied eating disorder (and potentially other self harm implied depending on how you interpret) because I wanted something that's typically how I headcanon teen!Bruce when he's not being the angry, kill my peers Bruce in fics (even if I don't always write him that way). And admittedly a lot of that is ID on my part. It helps me and was another layer as to why this fic was therapeutic to write.


End file.
